Johnnie Walker investment tops 100m mark

A new 12 million bottling line has helped push investment into Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky past the 100m mark.

The bottling line was opened on Friday at Diageo's Shieldhall plant by Nicola Sturgeon MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health & Wellbeing.

As the biggest-selling Scotch whisky worldwide, Johnnie Walker's Shieldhall base bottles 23 million cases of Scotch a year, with the new line able to produce 300 bottles a minute, equivalent to 4.5m cases a year.

Diageo says that the extra capacity will allow it to meet demand in growing markets such as Brazil, Russia and India, and the Johnnie Walker brand has grown 16% this year.

Sturgeon said: "Scotland needs a vibrant economy that can compete on a global stage, and I'm delighted to see the kind of investment Diageo is making in here in Glasgow.

"The commitment that Diageo is making towards responsible drinking is to be applauded and I look forward to working with the industry as a whole to establish a meaningful way forward on this important issue."